World War 2 timeline
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Winston Churchill Gives 'This Was Their Finest Hour' Speech
Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years,... Read more
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Chinese National Revolutionary Army Repels Imperial Japanese Army from Yichang
The Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang (simplified Chinese: 枣宜会战; traditional Chinese: 棗宜會戰; pinyin: Zǎoyí Huìzhàn), also known as the Battle of Zaoyi was... Read more
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Italy Launches Invasion of France
On 20 June, the Italian campaign began and, on 21 June, troops of the Italian Royal Army crossed the French border in three places The Italians... Read more
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France Surrenders to Nazi Germany
During this period, Hitler built up his forces on Germany's western frontier. In April 1940, German forces invaded Denmark and Norway. In May 1940,... Read more
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France and Italy Sign Armistice Establishing Italian Zone of Occupation in France
On 25 June 1940, after the Fall of France, France and Italy signed an armistice and an Italian zone of occupation was agreed upon. The initial zone... Read more
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John F. Kennedy Publishes His Senior Thesis, "Appeasement in Munich", as a Book Entitled 'Why England Slept'
In 1940, Kennedy completed his thesis, "Appeasement in Munich," about British participation in the Munich Agreement. He initially intended his... Read more
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First German Bombs Fall on the English City of Plymouth
The Plymouth Blitz was a series of bombing raids carried out by the Nazi German Luftwaffe on the English city of Plymouth in the Second World War.... Read more
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Germany Begins Air Assaults on Convoys in the English Channel
The Kanalkampf comprised a series of running fights over convoys in the English Channel and occasional attacks on the convoys by Stuka dive... Read more
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Hitler Issues Directive No. 16, Calling for a Plan to Invade Britain, Code Named 'Operation Sealion'
Concerning preparations for an amphibious operation against England. Since Britain still shows no sign of willingness to come to an agreement in... Read more
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First German Bomb Falls on Swindon
With the declaration of war and the onset of World War II, Evacuees arrived in Swindon in 1939. Troops were stationed in churches and school... Read more
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Hitler Orders 'Aufbau Ost', the Mobilization of Troops as Preparation for the Invasion of Russia
Aufbau Ost (German: Building in the East) was the German operational code name for the mobilisation of forces prior to the commencement of... Read more
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Germany Begins Heavy Bombing of Birmingham
Situated in the Midlands, Birmingham is an important industrial and manufacturing location and is also heavily populated, being the UK's second... Read more
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Germany Begins Main Assault on English Coastal Airfields
The main attack upon the RAF's defences was code-named Adlerangriff ("Eagle Attack"). Weather, which proved an important feature of the... Read more
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The 'Greatest Day' of the Battle of Britain
Adlertag opened with a series of attacks, led again by Epro 210, on coastal airfields used as forward landing grounds for the RAF fighters, as well... Read more
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The 'Hardest Day' of the Battle of Britain
18 August, which had the greatest number of casualties to both sides, has been dubbed "The Hardest Day". Following the grinding battles of 18... Read more
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The Luftwaffe Begins Attacks on British Airfields
Göring ordered attacks on aircraft factories on 19 August 1940; on 23 August 1940 he ordered that RAF airfields be attacked. That evening an attack... Read more
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Edward R. Murrow and Paul White Create 'London After Dark'
The show began on August 24, 1940 when CBS News Chief Paul White and CBS European Events Director Edward R. Murrow began to arrange the show by... Read more
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German Luftwaffe Begins Air Raids on the English City of Portsmouth
The city [of Portsmouth] was bombed extensively during WW2. Nazi German Luftwaffe night-time air raids began on August 24 1940 when 1,320 of high... Read more
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London Blitz Begins
The Blitz (from German, "lightning") was the sustained strategic bombing of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (collectively the United Kingdom) by... Read more
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Lossberg Study for the Invasion of the Soviet Union
Lossberg study is a German military plan prepared by Lieutenant Colonel Bernhard von Lossberg and developed under Alfred Jodl in OKW on September... Read more
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Major RAF Victory, Later Commemorated as Battle of Britain Day
15 September was a day of heavy and sustained fighting. The Luftwaffe had flown over 1,000 sorties. Euphoric British pilots and anti-aircraft... Read more
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Following German Defeats in the Battle of Britain, Hitler Cancels Operation Sealion
On 17 September 1940, Hitler held a meeting with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring and Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt. Hitler became convinced that... Read more
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Japanese Imperial General Headquarters Gives Order for Japanese Troops to Invade French Indochina
The Japanese Invasion of French Indochina (仏印進駐 Futsu-in shinchū?), also known as the Vietnam Expedition, was an attempt by the Empire of Japan,... Read more
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King George VI Creates the George Cross to Honor Civilian Bravery During the Battle of Britain and the Blitz
The GC was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI. At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the... Read more
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Germany, Italy and Japan Sign Tripartite Pact
On this day in 1940, the Axis powers are formed as Germany, Italy, and Japan become allies with the signing of the Tripartite Pact in Berlin. The... Read more